Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09TIRANA338
2009-06-03 12:17:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Tirana
Cable title:
SOME VICTIMS OF COMMUNIST REGIME TO RECEIVE
how-toVZCZCXRO9343 PP RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDBU RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHNP RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSK RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG DE RUEHTI #0338 1541217 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 031217Z JUN 09 FM AMEMBASSY TIRANA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8165 INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
UNCLAS TIRANA 000338
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR EUR/SCE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM PGOV PREL AL
SUBJECT: SOME VICTIMS OF COMMUNIST REGIME TO RECEIVE
COMPENSATION
UNCLAS TIRANA 000338
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR EUR/SCE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM PGOV PREL AL
SUBJECT: SOME VICTIMS OF COMMUNIST REGIME TO RECEIVE
COMPENSATION
1. (SBU) On May 28, the GOA published the second of two
lists of individuals who were persecuted under the Communist
regime and are entitled to compensation from the state. The
lists were prepared by the Ministry of Justice and approved
by the Council of Ministers and are now in the hands of the
Ministry of Finance, which is responsible for allocating the
compensation. According to the Council of Ministers
decision, each individual would receive one to ten million
Lek (USD 1,000 to 10,000) as compensation in equal
installments over eight years. The first list of the
persecuted was published on March 16 and combined the two
lists number 3,198 individuals. Initially more than 10,000
names were put forward to receive compensation but the lists
were reduced considerably by the GOA. (Note: The exact
criteria for being on the list are not clear. End note.)
Adrian Kati, Executive Director of the Albanian
Rehabilitation Center for Trauma and Torture, estimates that
about 18,000 individuals are still living today that should
be eligible for some sort of compensation due to mistreatment
under the Communist regime.
2. (SBU) Despite the approval of the first list in March and
the GOA's statement that USD 30 million is available to
compensate this group only 800 have received any
compensation, according to Kati. He blamed bureaucratic
inertia and incompetence for the GOA's slowness in making the
payments. In an attempt to draw attention to their plight,
the Kati's ARCT marked the National Day of the Former
Political Prosecuted on May 21 with a ceremony that drew
attendance from the DP, the President's office, the
diplomatic corps, and religious bodies. During the speeches,
President Topi's representative said that payments should be
made as quickly as possible, however the DP representative
announced that only USD 12 million is available in 2009 for
this program instead of the USD 30 million promised earlier
in the year. He did not elucidate what happened to the other
USD 18 million.
3. (SBU) Comment: After 17 long years, this unfortunate
group may finally receive some compensation for the angst,
punishment, and pain that it had to endure during the
Communist regime. Compensation at this point for many of the
victims may seem a small token, but it is important for the
GOA and Albania as a whole to attempt to come to terms with
its past and this is one small step in that direction. The
fact that the lists were published less than six weeks before
the elections and payments began being made a few months
before the elections is no big surprise, given the fact that
everything is political these days. Prime Minister Sali
Berisha's Democratic Party (DP) has long seen victims of the
communist regime an important part of its base. Whatever the
motives for GOA actions, many recipients, according to the
ACRT at least, are relatively happy with the payments.
WITHERS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR EUR/SCE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM PGOV PREL AL
SUBJECT: SOME VICTIMS OF COMMUNIST REGIME TO RECEIVE
COMPENSATION
1. (SBU) On May 28, the GOA published the second of two
lists of individuals who were persecuted under the Communist
regime and are entitled to compensation from the state. The
lists were prepared by the Ministry of Justice and approved
by the Council of Ministers and are now in the hands of the
Ministry of Finance, which is responsible for allocating the
compensation. According to the Council of Ministers
decision, each individual would receive one to ten million
Lek (USD 1,000 to 10,000) as compensation in equal
installments over eight years. The first list of the
persecuted was published on March 16 and combined the two
lists number 3,198 individuals. Initially more than 10,000
names were put forward to receive compensation but the lists
were reduced considerably by the GOA. (Note: The exact
criteria for being on the list are not clear. End note.)
Adrian Kati, Executive Director of the Albanian
Rehabilitation Center for Trauma and Torture, estimates that
about 18,000 individuals are still living today that should
be eligible for some sort of compensation due to mistreatment
under the Communist regime.
2. (SBU) Despite the approval of the first list in March and
the GOA's statement that USD 30 million is available to
compensate this group only 800 have received any
compensation, according to Kati. He blamed bureaucratic
inertia and incompetence for the GOA's slowness in making the
payments. In an attempt to draw attention to their plight,
the Kati's ARCT marked the National Day of the Former
Political Prosecuted on May 21 with a ceremony that drew
attendance from the DP, the President's office, the
diplomatic corps, and religious bodies. During the speeches,
President Topi's representative said that payments should be
made as quickly as possible, however the DP representative
announced that only USD 12 million is available in 2009 for
this program instead of the USD 30 million promised earlier
in the year. He did not elucidate what happened to the other
USD 18 million.
3. (SBU) Comment: After 17 long years, this unfortunate
group may finally receive some compensation for the angst,
punishment, and pain that it had to endure during the
Communist regime. Compensation at this point for many of the
victims may seem a small token, but it is important for the
GOA and Albania as a whole to attempt to come to terms with
its past and this is one small step in that direction. The
fact that the lists were published less than six weeks before
the elections and payments began being made a few months
before the elections is no big surprise, given the fact that
everything is political these days. Prime Minister Sali
Berisha's Democratic Party (DP) has long seen victims of the
communist regime an important part of its base. Whatever the
motives for GOA actions, many recipients, according to the
ACRT at least, are relatively happy with the payments.
WITHERS